


summer loving (had me a blast)

by pearlshop



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Codependency, Driving, F/M, Fluff, Possessive Behavior, Sexual Tension, Skinny Dipping, Summer Love, Swimming, Teen Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-26
Updated: 2019-07-26
Packaged: 2020-07-20 06:03:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19987327
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pearlshop/pseuds/pearlshop
Summary: Hawkins is going through a heat wave the day Mike takes El to Lover’s Lake.





	summer loving (had me a blast)

**Author's Note:**

> Just like the 4th of July fair, I'm completely appalled by how many times Lover's Lake has been mentioned and not used for either 1. some romance 2. some gnarly monster scenes. This is me fixing that.
> 
> *There's a realistic amount of sexuality in this, hence the mature rating. Mike and Eleven are hormonal teenagers and they're attracted to each other. If you want to read about them playing a mean game of Jenga, this is not the fic for you.
> 
> *Mike and Eleven's relationship is NOT meant to be the model of a perfect relationship. They're codependent teenagers with trauma. All problematic elements are done on purpose.

Hawkins is going through a heat wave the day Mike takes El to Lover’s Lake.

Mike’s only just passed his driver’s test but he drives with the windows rolled down to the tin and muggy air blowing in his face because El is by his side.

She loves it even though he knows his Dad’s station wagon isn’t anything to write home about. It’s outdated and ugly, covered in long maple panels and a sickly green paint that reminds Mike of hospital waiting rooms and dying leaves. Still, he’s been fantasizing about getting El alone in a car since he was fourteen, so he can’t find it in him complain.

“I promise we’re almost there,” he says, stroking the back of her hand from where it’s sitting on his thigh.

Hopper had already given him a long dramatic speech about responsibility and car safety and _boundaries_ but it all went out the window when El curled her hand around his thigh like it belonged there. 

“It’s okay,” El replies, squeezing his hand back before continuing to peer out at window, “I like it.”

“What?” he asks, “My mixtape?” He teases her, rolling the stereo dial until his favourite AC/DC song is blaring so loud the car shakes.

“Mike!” He immediately regrets it when she pulls her hand away from his to turn the dial back, “No…the driving.”

“Yeah?” he asks, distracted. He has no shame so he paws at the air between their seats until El takes pity on him and interlaces their fingers again.

“Yeah,” she replies, “Hop drives too but…not for fun. Just grocery store, Joyce, work, grocery store, Joyce, work…” she trails off, frowning.

“This is nice,” she adds, quieter when she gazes out the window, like she’s in awe, “Pretty.”

The woods surrounding Lover’s Lake are different from the ominous forests that pepper Hawkins. It’s the main reason Mike wanted to take her. 

_Nothing like the woods by Mirkwood._

The trees are sparse and the ground is mostly covered by plush moss and flowers, a stark contrast to the newly industrialized light show that is Hawkins. It’s perfect for a daytime stroll but inconvenient for any nighttime rendezvous.

 _It figures that the number one hook up spot in town is the only forest with shitty trees,_ Mike thinks, before forcing the thought away.

He’s not here to hook up with El. He isn’t.

His body doesn’t exactly get the memo so he brushes El’s hand away in favour of pinching his thigh.

“Well, I can drive you wherever you want now,” he says, sitting up a little taller, “No grocery stores or work and definitely none of Will’s Mom. Promise.”

El turns and she stares for a long moment, so long Mike is worried he’s said something wrong.

“I mean, we can go to the grocery store if you want -” he starts to sputter, but his nervous rambling is cut off with a kiss.

For this first time, he hates that he’s driving because he has to break the kiss before he crashes the car.

“El!” he gasps, righting the wheels just before they veer off into the trees.

“Sorry,” she says, but she’s clearly holding back laughter, lips curled up wide behind her tiny hand. When Mike’s heart is beating a little slower, El says, “I want to go to California.”

She says it tentatively as if she’s worried he’ll say no, and that’s somehow crazier to him than telekinesis and monsters.

“Then I’ll take you to California,” Mike says, matter of fact. 

“It’s really far,” El exaggerates, like she’s trying to talk him out of it, “Max said it takes more than a day.”

Mike shrugs. “We can just stop at a Motel 6.”

He doesn’t even realize what he’s said until El turns bright pink, the colour blossoming under her sun-freckled skin.

_Shit._

“What I meant was -” he starts, but El stops him with one hand on the wheel and an invisible one on the ignition. 

“Mike,” she says, her voice high and clear without the engine running, “We’re here.”

El climbs out of the car and Mike is a little sad she doesn’t let him get the door for her, at least the first time. When she wanders closer to the lake, he rushes to get out and follow.

The lake is serene and blue, but more importantly it’s empty. Most people are hiding from the heat at the local pool or in the air conditioned mall instead of the lake. It used to be the first place everyone went on a hot day but now it’s almost forgotten, an outdated relic like all the boarded up shops downtown.

“It’s so pretty,” El says, dazed. She steps forward slowly, the water ebbing at her sandaled feet. 

“Oh!” she suddenly squeaks, rushing backwards until she hits Mike’s chest.

“What?” Mike asks, “Did you step on something?”

He tries to kneel and check but El shakes her head, and pulls him up.

“I’m fine,” she says, “It’s just…it’s so cold! Why is it so cold when it’s so hot?” She dips her toes back in, like she can’t believe it.

“It’s because of the water table,” Mike says, excited by the rare chance to talk science with her, “It’s really deep in the Earth’s surface so the temperature of the water basically stays the same year round. Cool, right?”

El stares at him like he’s an alien so Mike adds, “Sorry. I know you probably don’t really care.”

She immediately shakes her head, grabbing at his arm.

“No,” she says, “I do care. I just don’t understand.”

Mike tries to figure out how to explain it in layman’s terms but luckily, El moves on.

“Is this ocean?” she asks, curiously.

“No,” he says, “ _The_ oceans cover the whole world, lakes are a lot smaller. Like this.”

El hums in affirmation, drifting out of Mike’s arms and along the line where the water meets the land.

Then she starts to take off her dress.

The near silent field is suddenly filled with noise. Him choking on his spit, his blood rushing in his ears, and El casually sliding her zipper down the slope of her back.

“El…what are you doing?” he asks, trying to stay calm. He slides his hand in his pocket, pinches his thigh through the cloth, and twists. It doesn’t help.

El kicks off her sandals and turns to him.

“Swimming,” she says simply, “Hop said I can’t go to the pool but…this should be fine. Right?” 

It’s one of the few old rules that El still has to follow, even years later. No crowded places and no unnecessary attention. It’s easy to follow on most days, when El has a sleepover at Max’s or a movie night with Mike. It’s harder on days like today. 

_The whole town is out today, and she’s out here with me._

Mike wishes he could take her to a nice restaurant or down to the crowded pool, but another part of him likes this. The image of her in her cotton bra and panties, hair mussed and frizzy from the humidity – that’s all his. None of the douchebags showboating at the pool get to see her.

“Yeah,” he says, “It should be fine.”

El beams, but he ruins it by slapping the water in her direction.

“If you can handle it!”

“Oh my God, Mike!” she squeals, “Stop!”

He chases El along the shore until she’s forced to run into the water just to get away from him. She screams the entire time, the layers of water rising around her as she goes. 

“See, it’s not so bad, right?” he calls out to her. 

El pouts, wrapping her arms around herself before she answers. “It is bad,” she replies, teeth chattering, “It’s too cold, Mike.”

It’s only water but he’s heard her say the same thing too many times to not work a little harder at getting his clothes off.

“I’m coming,” he says, “Just give me a minute.”

He’s debating whether or not he should put on sunscreen when it happens.

“Mike,” El suddenly says, “Mike, I think there’s a…” And then she’s screaming, her head disappearing under the now burbling water.

“El!?” he yells, his heart stopping.

He runs into the water without thinking, kicking his shoes off as he does.

“El!? El!? EL!?” He tears through the water, before ducking down below to look for whatever took her. No matter how much Mike stares, the water is infuriating clear, no El in sight. He shoots to the surface after it becomes hard to breath, but the oxygen doesn’t help.

When the fear is just starting to turn to horror, familiar arms wrap around his neck and El bobs to the surface in front of him, a smile on her face.

“Hi,” she says, before she starts to giggle. Her smile quickly drops when she sees his face.

“That wasn’t funny!” he yells. His blood still feels like ice, frozen with fear at the thought of something happening to her. El flinches at his tone and the anger leaves as quickly as it appeared. The only thing left is relief and it’s warm, like her.

“Fuck, El,” he says, hoisting her into his arms, properly. She’s too short to stand at this depth so she clings back, legs wrapped around his waist and button nose sniffling against his wet hair. He holds her tighter, and tighter but somehow they’re still not close enough.

“I’m sorry,” El says, “I wanted to pull off a…” she sniffles loudly, wiping her nose against his shoulder, “A prank. Because you got me wet.” 

Mike wishes his hands were free so he could pinch himself again.

“But it was mean. I’m sorry.” She nuzzles her head against his, looking for forgiveness when it’s always been a given. He can never stay angry at her for long. 

“It’s okay,” Mike lies, weakly, “It was a good prank.”

El frowns like she doesn’t believe him, before reaching under his eye. She wipes the wetness away pointedly.

“Mike,” she whispers against his lips, “Boyfriends don’t lie.”

The kiss she tries to give him is one of comfort, but Mike makes it something more. Her lips shake but slowly they part under his insistent kisses, and before Mike realizes it, she's kissing him back. The tide of his own need is an unexpected rush after suppressing it for long so he gets greedy and takes, even as El trembles against him.

He's also the one who stops, because the girl he loves deserves better than Lover's Lake.

At her house and his there are always obstacles and interruptions, his Mom asking if they want food or Hopper peaking in on them. Out here, with nobody around to stop them, Mike doesn’t trust himself.

For a few long seconds all Mike hears is his own heart and El panting against him as she catches her breath.

When El’s breath is even and his heart is sound, Mike speaks.

“You want the truth? The truth is the thought of losing you scares me a lot,” he admits, “You’re the most important thing to me in the world, El.” They’re old words, but true ones. He dreams about agents taking her from the cabin sometimes, with him none the wiser. He imagines her with a shaved head and a hospital gown, but grown like she is now. The fear has become such an intrinsic part of him, he can even buy something as ridiculous as _demofish_ appearing years later to attack her.

_I’m so stupid._

“And I -”

El stops him with one hand over his mouth.

“You’re not going to lose me,” El promises, “Ever.” 

When he tries to protest, El presses her hand down firmer and gives him a warning look. It’s the least intimidating thing he’s ever seen but he’s hers, so he stays quiet.

Eventually, El takes her hand back to wrap her arms around Mike’s neck.

They float like that for a long time, El’s head resting on his shoulder. They float for so long, the tops of their heads dry out and curls stick to their wet skin. When the afternoon sun slowly goes molten, Mike's sure they're both burning, but he doesn't move. There's nowhere else to go, with El in his arms.

“Are you still cold?” he asks, after awhile.

El shakes her head.

“No,” she says, “It’s warm, now that you’re here.”

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, I really had to look up why water is ice cold in the Summer.
> 
> If you enjoyed this please leave a comment or a kudos! It's the only way authors know their work is being read and it motivates us to write more.
> 
> You can reach me @pearlshop on Tumblr if you want to have words.


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